03.01.2024

SUBSCRIBE | REFER

Today’s Forecast

42º | 65% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:59 a.m. | Sunset 6:25 p.m.

“Love first and live incidentally”

Zelda Fitzgerald Week highlights a slice of local literary history

The week honors Fitzgerald’s life and legacy. | Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute

Get jazzed up to celebrate a 1920s icon and her connection to our community. Zelda Fitzgerald Week, presented by supportive art space Aurora Studio & Gallery, will honor the writer + artist and dive into the creative world of Fitzgerald and her contemporaries.

Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald embodied the Jazz Age zeitgeist and became a symbol both in her own right and through her fictional depictions in the novels of her husband, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Her world wasn’t all liberality and leisure, though, and Fitzgerald struggled with mental health issues during much of her life. She and her family loved visiting Asheville throughout her childhood, but Fitzgerald’s connection to the city in her later life came mostly in the form of Highland Hospital. During one of her stays at Highland, a fire broke out in the main wing, and on the night of March 10, 1948, Fitzgerald was killed, along with eight other women.

First edition copy of "Save Me the Waltz" by Zelda Fitzgerald — The Asheville History Museum has a first-edition copy of Zelda Fitzgerald’s “Save Me the Waltz” from the library at Highland Hospital. The library card shows it was first checked out by Fitzgerald herself.
|
Photo by Anne Chesky

From Thursday, March 7 to Sunday, March 10, you can explore the life and work of a woman whose persona still enchants to this day.

Asheville’s Doomed Duo: F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald | Thursday, March 7 | 2-3 p.m. | North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville | Free | UNC Asheville literature professor Tom Hearron will lecture on the lives and literature of the celebrity duo.

“The Cruise of the Rolling Junk” | Thursday, March 7 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site, 52 N. Market St., Asheville | Free | Mark Taylor, an F. Scott Fitzgerald tour guide in St. Paul, MN, will share the author’s nonfiction work about the couple’s eight-day car ride from Connecticut to Alabama.

More to the week

Asked

Which famous song was written about Zelda Fitzgerald?

A. “Athena” by The Who
B. “Witchy Woman” by The Eagles
C. “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac
D. “Wild World” by Cat Stevens

Can you hit the right note?

Events

Friday, March 1

Introduction to Acrylic Painting & Symbols | Friday, March 1 | 5-8 p.m. | ArtPlay Gallery & Creativity Studio, 372 Depot St., Ste. 44, Asheville | $125 | Develop confidence in your creativity as you experiment and explore on the canvas with guidance from artist Heather Hanson.
No Exit | Friday, March 1-Sunday, March 3 | Times vary | Carol Belk Theatre at UNC Asheville, 1 University Heights, Asheville | $5-$15 | Get locked in a room with the secrets of life and death, past and present during this play by renowned playwright and existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre.
Freaky Friday Stand-Up Comedy | Friday, March 1 | 9-11 p.m. | Catawba Brewing Company South Slope, 32 Banks Ave., Asheville | $15 | Get freaky with a lineup of some favorite local and national comedians.

Saturday, March 2

“Grief Slut": A Poetry Reading | Saturday, March 2 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Firestorm Books, 1022 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Explore Southern, queer, and trans stories with poet Evelyn Berry, author of “Grief Slut,” and Dustin Brookshire, author of “Never Picked First For Playtime.”
Innovating for Ten, Trailblazing for Tomorrow Gala and Silent Auction | Saturday, March 2 | 6-9 p.m. | The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage Company, 131 Sweeten Creek Rd., Asheville | $50 | Celebrate the decade of work and the plan for the future with the Franklin School of Innovation.
Candlelight: A Tribute to Coldplay | Saturday, March 2 | 8:45 p.m. | Asheville Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St., Asheville | $56 | Hear some of the hits from the British rock band while you bask in the gentle glow of candlelight.

Sunday, March 3

SuperWoman Sundays | Sunday, March 3 | 2-5 p.m. | One World Brewing - West Asheville, 520 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Listen to the music of Melissa & McKinney before the stage is set for collaboration and an open mic.
Sound Healing | Sunday, March 3 | 5-7 p.m. | Scalarwave Wellness, 900 Hendersonville Rd., Ste. 101B, Asheville | $77 | Join a vibrational journey for relaxation and rejuvenation with instrumentation by Billy Zanski.

Monday, March 4

Trivia with Billy | Monday, March 4 | 7-9 p.m. | River Arts District Brewing Co., 13 Mystery St., Asheville | Free | Compete in eclectic trivia for a chance to earn 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place — plus, bonuses like best team name.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Outdoors

Choose-your-own-trail adventure at the North Carolina Arboretum

Two bikers on a dirt trail ride toward the camera. Two hikers consult a trail map. Two hikers stand in a forest of red and orange trees.

The Arboretum also offers hands-on Adult Education classes year-round. | Photos provided by The North Carolina Arboretum

You may know The North Carolina Arboretum for its famous sculpted gardens or award-winning bonsai exhibitions, but did you know the 434-acre campus also features 10 miles of manicured walking paths + 13 unique trails?

From immersive forest journeys and casual garden strolls to bike rides and challenging hikes, these routes offer a wide range of experiences for all levels of accessibility and physical ability.

Bonus: Most trails start or end at an idyllic destination (we’re partial to Willow Pond).

View trails + find your pace

News Notes

Open

Recess Coffee hosted its grand opening in Black Mountain yesterday. The shop, located at 107 Black Mountain Ave., serves up enticing baked goods, specialty coffee, and a playful, “school’s out” vibe.

Community

Get to the heart of the city with Asheville Downtown Association’s State of Downtown on Tuesday, March 19. Register for insight from the Downtown Stakeholders Survey, updates from local officials, and a keynote from Gerren Price of the Downtown DC Business Improvement District (plus, food, drinks, and music).

Coming Soon

First come, first (counter) served. Fletcher’s Auction House Food & Drink Hall plans to open in late April or early May to dish out three eateries, Mercado Cantina, KO Burger, and Fish Camp 25, and two beverage spots, Auction House Wine Bar and Blue Collar Bourbon Social. Follow for updates. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Job

Buncombe County is hosting a job fair on Wednesday, March 6 to showcase the County’s current openings in social work, elections, and more. Schedule an interview or drop in to meet the recruiting team, learn more about the positions, get interview pointers, and find help applying.

Award

Blue ribbons for The Blue Banner. The UNC Asheville student newspaper and its literary journal, Headwaters, received eight awards at the annual statewide College Media Association conference. Awards included a Best of Show in Online News for The Blue Banner and a Best of Show in Literary Magazine for Headwaters.

Shop

Spring into the new season at the annual Bareroot Spring Plant Sale this weekend. Hosted by Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District, the sale will include native plants like river oats, persimmon, leafy satin grass (and a whole lot more). Browse the catalog before you attend on Saturday, March 2.

Eat

The new AVL Food Series announced its rescheduled date, after the inaugural event was postponed due to illness — the four-course dinner with Chef Michelle Bailey will be held at The Mule on Thursday, March 14. You can still grab a ticket for a night of culinary creations + community.

Shop

It’s not every day that you find free, award-winning legal cannabis products. Cult favorite cannabis brand Indacloud is here with 30% off and free gummies with code “6AM” on any purchase. Get edibles, joints, and vapes for as low as $20 (and free gummies, of course) delivered to your door.*†

*†Please note: Legalities in your state may vary. Indacloud advises consumers to read the company’s terms and conditions, consult a physician before trying products, start only with small amounts, and to not consume products before driving or before a drug test. The information about providers and services contained in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by AVLtoday.

The Buy

The Buy 3.01.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A massaging foam roller, perfect for relieving tension after working out and boosting circulation to legs, back, and glutes.

Share AVLtoday

Share the good news. Get rewarded.

Have someone who needs to stay in the know? Get amazing rewards for every new subscriber you bring by sharing your unique referral link (below).

Facebook

Twitter

{{profile.vars.rh_totref_6}} friends are looped into all things local because of you.

Claim your rewards

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

The Whale Outpost walls are getting a makeover for March. Local artist Amar Stewart (who you might recognize from his New York Times feature) will celebrate his residency as the brewery’s artist-of-the-month during the opening night tonight, March 1, from 6 to 10 p.m. You’ll be able to browse Stewart’s work on the walls, in print, and on Terra Nova Beer Co.'s cans — and buy it directly from the artist.

Missed our previous newsletter?

›

Send Us A Scoop, Question, or Feedback

Content marked with an * is paid advertising. Content marked with an ^ is created by our content studio. The company may also generate commission from affiliate links in the newsletter.

Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.

P.O. Box 2505, Greenville, SC 29602

ADVERTISE | CAREERS | ETHICS | PRIVACY | THE BUY